Slack washing machine



May 14, 1929. Q w, sw 1,713,408

SLACK WASHINGMACHINE Filed Dec. 10, 1927 S Sheets-Sheet 1 May 14, 1929.

E. W. SWIFT smcx WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 10, 1.92"]v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Dec. 10, 1927 5 SheetsSheet Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDWARD W". swmr', of commas, GEORGIA,

nssronon To MUsooeEn MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, 012 canvases, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

SLACK WASHING mcmm.

Application filed December 10, 1927. Serial No. 239,161.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machines, particularly what is known as slack washing machines.

The object is the production of a washing 3 machine which is especially efficient in washing in either cold water, or hot water, or soapy water, or any kind of liquid, towels, cloth of any description, or textile fabrics of any kind, after such fabrics have been bleached,

dyed, or processed in any way.

A sccondobject of the invention is the production of a machine in which a chain or length of toweling, or towels, or cloth or fabric of any kind is suspended and conveyed through the washer, and thoroughly cleansed therein, the textile fabric passing through the washer, after being previously washed or bleached or processed in anyway, at a good rate of speed while the machine is continuously in operation.

In slack washing machines of the usual construction, there is a tendency of those parts of the fabric resting loosely in the water of the vat to float and tangle up, causing the damaging the good.

Such accidents are specially troublesome when hot water is used, as it is then impracti'cable to promptly disentangle the goods by hand; and for this reason it has been frequently found preferable to use a depth of water in the machine that is insufficient to permit the proper soaking and washing of the material therein.

My invention intended to remedy these and other disadvantages, and to provide a machine that will be speedy, eflicient, and economical in use.

My invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which like parts are indicated by sim ilar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the complete apparatus, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the machine as seen from the bottom of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an end view of the machine as seen from the right of Figures '1 and 2.

Figure 4 shows asection along the line 4i of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5" shows ahorizontal section along the line 5-5' of Figure 2, and looking downward, and

" machine to hang up or stop, and tearing or Figure 6 shows a vertical section along the line 6-6 of'Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

A represents a tank or vat which may be made of metal orwood, but which is shown as of wood, and is preferably approximately quadrant-a1 in cross section as shown in Figure 4, so that the bottom wall A provides a curved surface for the fabric to slide upon more readily. The front wall A ofthe tank is preferably vertical as shown in Figure 4. The end walls A and A are also preferably vertical as shown in Figure 6. Secured transversely of the vat are a number of vertical partitions B, which may be either straight across the vat, but are preferably set diagonnally or in a substantial spiral form as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. These partitions B are cut as at b and b to form openings B", so that the partitions may communicate above the line I). These partitions may be provided at the base with one or more openings 6 to permit the liquid to flow from one chamber to another, and also to permit the tank to be thoroughly drained when desired.

The vat may be supported by the end walls A and A, or other suitable support may be provided therefor.

At one end of the vat, I provide a bracket C, which carries the bearing C for the drive shaft D, the other bearing D of which is carried by the end wall A of the vat.

The shaft D carries the pulley D which is driven by the belt E from an electric'rnotor, or other convenient source of power. The gear F meshes with the gear G which is fast on the shaft G carrying the reel H, on which the fabric is supported, as will be hereinafter described, The opposite end of the shaft G carries apulley G on which the belt I engages, which belt passes over the pulley J on the shaft J of the squeeze roller J above which is mounted t'he'upper squeeze roller J1, which is turned by the friction of the fabric passing between the two squeeze rollers, as will be hereinafter described. The shaft D carries a pulley D, which engages a belt K passing over the s ueeze' roller M for the final wringing of the fiibric. The upper squeeze roller M as'will be hereinafter described. In order, to guide the fabric, I provide a guide bar N shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, which extends length-wise of the vat and is provided with a number of pegs n. This guide bar is in is turned by friction of the fabric with a similar plate P perforated as at in through which the material is passed as it leaves the machine. The last chamber formed by the end wall and the last partition of the machine is surmounted by a guide roller Q liver in the fabric to the squeeze rollers or wringer M and M. This guide Q, is

mounted. in the brackets Q, see Figures 1 and 5.

The washing solution may be supplied to the vat in any convenient way by a suitable pipe ll, see Figure 3, an d may be drained off, and tile ta nl: may he drained. through the pipe S closed by the valve S, see Figure 2. In order to heat the water in the vat, steam may be supplied through the pipe T, controlled by the valve T. Fresh water may be supplied to the fabric as it is drawn out of the washing solution, through the perforated pipe U, Which is perforated as at u, see Figure 1. This pipe U is mounted in brackets V and V carried by the frame of the machine,

' and the pipe is preferably tilted slightly so as to aojust the flow of fresh water through the perforations u. 7

Having thus described the construction of the parts, the operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming the drive shaft D to be rotating and the vat to be supplied to the right depth with the washing fluid, soapy water, cold or hot, or Whatever it may be, the free end of the fabric, toweling or other material is fer between the rotating squeeze rolls J and J which serve to feed it to the reel H. The free 7 end of the strip is passed over the reel, and,

as the reel rotates, this strip is carried to the first chamber of the vat at the left of the first partition shown in Figure 1. The free end is drawn from this chamber between the corresponding pegs n of the bar N, and passes again through the squeeze rolls J and J. and goes back above the reel again, and then down ll to the next chamber of'the vat between the i first two partitions. and so on continuously.

As the end of the strip reaches the last compartment of the vat, it drawn over the guide roller Q and sent to-the squeeze rolls M and M, where it is wrung nearly dry.

As the strip passes through the machine, it is apt to pile up in the various compartments of the vat, and the accumulated mate rial in these compartments is thus thoroughly soaked before passing over the reel again.

After each soaking operation, it passes again through the squeeze rolls J and J and finally, is subjected to final wringing through the squeeze rolls M and M.

The cleansing effect of these squeeze rolls J 2 and J may be supplemented by spraying without departii clear water or oth r liquid on the fabric through the pipe U thus a rinsin effect may be obtained each passage of the strip through the squeeze rolls J and J By having the partitions B provided in the "at: separating the vat into a number of connnunicating compartments, any serious trouble with the tangling up or the lapping of the material in the machine is avoided; for, should such difficulty occur, it will occur in only one compartment, and may readily be taken care of in that compartment without disturbing the goods in'the other compartments. This is especially desirable where hot water is used, it then being diflicult to manipulate the tangled lengths of the fabric without scalding the hands While I have shown the partitions in the vats as set at an acute angle to the axis of the reel, these partitions may be set at right angles to the reel if it is des'red; but it is preferable to set same at an acute angle as shown, to facilitate the feeding of the strip progressively to the reel.

If it is desired to heat the liquid in the vat, steam may be admitted through the pipe T.

The washing liquid may be supplied through any convenient pipe such as 1%, and the tank may be drained through any suitable drain pipe S, see Figures 3 and 4.

It will be seen that after the first strip of material has been fed to the machine in the slackened condition just referred to, other strips may be attached to the end of the first, and the operation of the device may be continued indefinitely. I

While I have shown one embodiment of the invention in its preferred form, it will be obvious that various changes might be made in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which can be used from the spirit of my invention.

vHaving thus described my invention, what ll claim and desire to secure by'Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of transversely disposed partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, with passages for permitting the washing fluid to flow from one compartment to the next, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, ,a wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringinq same, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

2. A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of transversely disposed partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments, adapted to receive on lat] the strips of fabrics, with passages for permitting the washing fluid to flow from one compartment to the next, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a bar provided with guide teeth for guiding the fabric from said compartments to said rollers, a wrimz er provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

3, A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of transversely disposed partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, with passages for permitting the washing fluid to flow from one compartment to the next, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a bar provided with guide teeth for guiding the fabric from said compartments to said rollers, a perforated pipe parallel to said rollers for supplying rinsing fluid to the fabric after it passes said guide teeth, a. wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

4. A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of axially inclined partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments provided with fluid passages connecting adjacent compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, a reel j ournalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same. and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of axially inclined partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments provided with fluid passages connecting adjacent compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezingrollers substantially parallel to said reel, a bar provided with guide teeth for guiding the fabric from said compartments to said rollers, a wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric-from the last compartment and wringing same, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

6. A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of axially inclined partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments provided with fluid passages connectingadjacent compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a bar provided with guide teeth for guiding the fabric from said compartments to said rollers, a perforated pipe parallel to said rollers for supplying rinsing fluid to the fabric after it passes said guide teeth, a wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same, and means for simultaneous 1y rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

7. A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of transversely disposed partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, with passages for permitting the washing fluid to flow from one compartment to the next, a reel journalled trans versely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a bar provided with guide teeth for guiding the fabric from said compartments to said rollers, a perforated pipe parallel to said rollers for supplying rinsing fluid to the fabric after it passes said guide teeth, a wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same, a guide roller for guiding said fabric to said wringer, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

8. A slack washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of axially inclined partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments with fluid passages connecting adjacent compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a bar ed with guide teeth for guiding the fabric from said compartments to said rollers, a perforated pipe parallel to said rollers for supplying rinsing fluid to the fabric after it passes said guide teeth, a wringer provided with rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same, a guide roller for guiding said fabric to said wringer, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

9. A slack washing machine comprisinga vat provided with a plurality of transversely disposed partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, with passages for permitting the washing fluid to flow from one compartment to the next, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a perforated pipe parprovidallel to said rollers forsupplying rinsing fluid to the fabric, a Wringer provided With rollers for drawing said fabric from the last compartment and wringing same, and means for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said wringer.

10. A slack Washing machine comprising a vat provided with a plurality of axially inclined partitions separating said vat into a series of compartments, adapted to receive the strips of fabrics, With passages for permitting the Washing fluid to flow from one compartment to the next, a reel journalled transversely of said compartments, combined feeding and squeezing rollers substantially parallel to said reel, a perforated pipe par allel to said rollers for supplying rinsing fluid to the fabric, a Wringer provided With rollers for drawing said fabric from the last for simultaneously rotating said reel, said squeeze rollers, and said Wr nger.

EDWVARD W. SXVIFT. 

